Educational Strategies for Personal and Social Responsibility in Physical Education

Educational strategies for fostering personal and social responsibility in physical education centre on empowering students to take ownership of their learning, develop ethical behaviours and contribute positively to their communities. Central to this endeavour is a shift from teacher-centred instruction to learner-centred models that integrate values education with physical activity. Hellison’s Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model organises learning around ascending levels of responsibility—from respect for the rights and feelings of others to leadership and transfer of values beyond the gymnasium. Complementary frameworks such as the Sport Education Model and Teaching Games for Understanding emphasise authentic sport experiences and tactical decision-making, while hybrid approaches blend these models to reinforce both socio-emotional and physical outcomes. Professional development for educators, alongside reliable assessment tools, underpins effective implementation, ensuring that interventions are contextually adapted and sustainably embedded. Globally, these strategies have been shown to enhance self-regulation, prosocial behaviours, motivation and classroom climate, illustrating their relevance for diverse educational settings and their potential to support lifelong engagement in physical activity.

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Educational Strategies for Personal and Social Responsibility in Physical Education publication trend

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Technical terms

Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR): A pedagogical model designed to cultivate student autonomy, respect and social responsibility through progressive levels of responsibility within physical activity.

Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU): A student-centred approach that emphasises tactical awareness and decision-making in game contexts rather than isolated technical drills.

Sport Education Model (SEM): A curricular framework that immerses students in authentic sport experiences by assigning roles and fostering seasonal engagement with sports.

Prosocial behaviour: Voluntary actions intended to benefit others, including cooperation, empathy and helping behaviours.

Self-Determination Theory: A motivational framework centred on the satisfaction of basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness.

References

1. Comparing Traditional Teaching and the Personal and Social Responsibility Model: Development of Values in Secondary Education Students. Sustainability (2023).
2. Implementation of a Hybrid Educational Program between the Model of Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) and the Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) in Physical Education and Its Effects on Health: An Approach Based on Mixed Methods. Children (2021).
3. Effects of a Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility Model Intervention in Competitive Youth Sport. Frontiers in Psychology (2021).